Traverse roller for venetian blinds



Feb. 16, 1932. L. T. WARD TRAVERSE ROLLER FOR VENETIAN BLINDS 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Nov. 3, 1930 Feb. 16, 1932. 1.. "r. WARD TRAVERSE ROLLER FOR VENETIAN BLINDS Filed Nov. 3, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V r' ill ia'u rfnuen&r.' .Zmu ence]? ward,

Patented Feb. 16, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE LAWRENCE THOMAS WARD, O1 KANE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO KANE MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF KANE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION 01 PENNSYL- 'VANIA TRAVERSE ROLLER FOR VENETIAN BLINDS Application filed November 3, 1930. Serial no. 493,182.

My invention relates to Venetian blinds, and more particularly to a novel form of traverse roller for use in raising and lowering a plurality of slats which are suspended from the roller in the usual manner.

An object of my invention is to provide a means for continuously aligning the liftlng drum with the drum end bearings of a traverse roller whereby to provide a I'lgld compact structure, eliminate frictlon, and reduce the pulling efiort required to ralse the slats through rotation of the drum.

Another object is to provide a means comprising a central drum support for preventing lateral deflection in a traverse roller, and so arranged as to permit a free rotation of the drum and allow for a quick detachment of the roller from its supports. 0

Another object is to provide a novel brake for a traverse roller which is simple in construction, readily adjustable, and effective to prevent excessive acceleration in lowering the blind, but which is ineffective while the blind is being raised. 1

A further object is to provide a plurality of bearings for a traverse roller which are so constructed as to permit a quick detachment of the roller from its support.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description in connection with the annexed drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a front view showing the general assembly of parts;

Fig. 2 is a view partly in section of the traverse roller and related elements;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are sectional views taken on lines 33, 4-4, and 5-5, respectively, on Fig. l and in the direction of the arrows;

Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional views taken on lines 6-6 and 7-7, respectively, on Fig. 2 and in the direction of the arrows;

Figs. 8 to 11 show details of the central roller bearing; and

Figs. 12 and 13 show a modified form of roller end bearings formed integrally with a box end.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 2, a traverse roller 1 is shown as detachably mounted upon a pair of bearings 2, 2 which in turn are mounted on, or

formed integrally with the end portions 3, 3' of a casing 4. The casing 4 is formed preterably from metal and comprises a top portion 5, a rear wall portion 6 and a bottom portion '7 rigidly connected at opposite ends to a plurality of flanges 8 which extend at right angles to the end portions 3, 3 along the edges thereof. The front wall 8 of the casing 4 is hingedly mounted as at 9 to pro vide easy access to the traverse roller and associated elements ing.

My improved traverse roller comprises a main lifting drum 1() which is mounted to rotate on, and simultaneously move along, a pair of sleeve bearings 11 and 12. The hearing 11 is smooth and is received loosely with in a circular opening 13 formed concentrically in one end wall 14 of the drum 10. The other sleeve bearing 12 is provided with a threaded outer surface 15, the threads of which are engaged with a threaded bore 16 formed in the other end wall 17 of the drum 10.

In order to continuously align the drum 10 with the sleeve bearings 11 and 12, I have provided a centrally located rod or tube 18 which is supported at its opposite ends within the bearings 11 and 12 to extend throughout the entire length of the traverse roller. The tube 18 engages the bearings 11 and 12 with a close fit and means such as pins may be provided to anchor the tube 18 to the bearings.

Adjacent one end of the drum. 10, I prefer to employ an auxiliarywinding drum 19 mounted on and spaced from the main drum 10 by means of a pair of spacer walls or rings 20. The purpose of the auxiliary drum will be explained later on in the description.

One method of forming the traverse roller bearings 2, 2 is shown in detail in Figs. 12 and 13. A rectangular metal plate 21 is struck out as at 22 and cut away as at 23 to provide an opening 24 having two spaced parallel edges 25. The sleeve bearings 11 and 12 are provided adjacent each outermost end with a pair of parallel slots 26 formed on opposite sides of each sleeve. In placing the mounted within the castraverse rollerin position in bearings 2, 2' it 10, particularly in very long drums, I have provided a novel drum center support which is shown in detail in Figs. 8 to 11. A rectangular plate of metal 27 is bent out along three edges to provide three laterally extending flanges 28, 29 and 30, which are adapted to engage, respectively, the top, rear, and bottom walls of the casing 4, and which may be secured thereto in any suitable manner. The plate 27 is cut out to form an opening 31 which is formed to provide a relatively large entrance opening 32 and an arcuate bearing supporting edge portion 33. I provide an extended bearing surface which is simple and economical to construct, comprising an arcuate bearing 34 which is slotted as at 35, whereby the bearing may be engaged over the edge 33 with the edge inserted in the slot 35. As shown in Fig. 7, the drum 10 may be inserted through the entrance opening 32 from the front and dropped slightly to rest upon the bearing 34.

It is advantageous, particularly in Venetian blinds of large area and weight, to provide a means for preventing excessive acceleration of moving parts when the blind is lowered. To this end, I employ a simple but efficient braking means which is operative directly upon the hoisting drum 10. Referring to Fig. 6 in detail, a brake strap 36 is connected at its rear end to a coil spring 37 which in turn is anchored as at 38 to the bottom or floor of casing 4. The other end of the brake strap is connected to a rod 39, the free end of which is threaded and extended through an opening formed in the casing bottom. Adjustment of the brake to compensate for varying loads or speeds, is obtained by means of a 'nut 40 which engages the rod 39 and is normally forced by the spring into contact with the lower side of the casing bottom. Owing to the yielding action of the spring 37, the brake strap 36 is ineffective to apply a material force to the drum during the rotation thereof in a direction to raise the blind.

A pair of slats supporting cords 41 are fastened at their upper ends to the drum 10 to be wound therearound in the usual manner when the blind is raised. Each cord 41 ensecured to the casing bottom adjacent the respective opening 42'by means such as rivets The main hoisting or drum operating cord 46 is fixed at its upper end to the auxiliary drum 19 and is wound therearound during the lowering of the blinds in the usual manner. The cord 46 passes through an opening .47 form-ed in the casing bottom. and a bushing 48 is provided to afford a smooth edge for iliary drums may be kept in stock, all of which are interchangeable and a desired size of drum may be selected according to operating conditions to be met in connection with a particular installation.

The tilting bar 49 which is employed to support and control the slats is mounted in a pair of brackets 50, which are supported as shown in Fig. 2 upon the lower face of the casing bottom. In order to prevent any deflection in the tilting bar 49, a means is provided to support the bar adjacent its midportion. The particular support shown is so constructed that it may be applied to the bar without cutting or reducing the cross section of the bar, whereby the bar is not weakened by its application thereto. One part of the bar support comprises a metal bracket 51 of arcuate form which is provided with an arcuate slot 52 and a laterally bent portion 53. The bracket is attached to the ar by means of screws 54 which engage openings in the bent portion 53. The other portion of the support comprises a bracket 55 which may be secured to the bottom of the casing 4, as shown in Fig. 7. A roller 56 is mounted to rotate on the bracket 51 by means of av pin axle 57 and when assembled, the roller 56 is engaged in the arcuate slot 52. It will be understood that the bar 49 may be tilted to any desired position since the roller 56 is able to occupy any position in the slot 52. In all positions of the bar, however, the weight applied thereto will be applied to the roller 56 which is in engagement with the upper edge of the slot. The provision of a roller support as shown prevents friction and maintains to a minimum, the resistance offered to a desired tilting of the bar.

. The bar tilting means is shown in Fig. 3 and comprises a cord 58, the ends of which are connected as at 59 to the bar 49. The cord 58 passes over a pulley 60 mounted on a bracket 61 attached to the casing 4.

The specific details of the tilting bar operator are not claimed herein, but are shown and claimed in Patent No. 1,806,228, issued May 19, 1931 to Lawrence T. Ward.

A plurality of slats 62 are suspended in the usual manner from the bar 49 by means of tapes 63, and the cords 41 are attached to the lowermost slat. The roller casing 4 is shown 32 mounted upon and within a window frame In the operation of the device shown, when t is desired to raise the blind, the cord 46 s pulled to rotate the drums and 19, which in turn causes the supporting cords 41 to be wound upon the drum 10. Owing to the threaded en agement of the sleeve with 10 the threade drum end 17, the drums 10 and 19 are caused to move to the right, whereby the convolutions of the cords 41 as they are wound on the drum 10 are arranged in a sin le la er in an orderly relation.

e b ind is lowered by permitting the weight thereof to unwind the cords 41 from the drum 10, at which time the cord 46 is again wound upon the drum 19. Any desired adjustment of the brake 36 may be secured by rotation of the. nut 40 which is accessible from without the casing 4 and the brake 36 is effective to prevent excessive acceleration of arts in the downward movement.

t will be noted that the tube 18 extends.

between the bearings 2, 2' and throu h the drum 10 and sleeves 11, 12, and is t ereby effective to maintain the sleeves in exact axial alignment. The drum lO is thereby permitted to rotate and traverse smoothly and easily with a minimum of effort during its operation.

By mountin theroller and related parts within the casing 4, and supporting the bar 49 from and below the casin a compact arrangement is provided and the various parts may be assembled and handled with ease as one unit. The casing 4 and related parts may be installed with a minimum of labor and its use provides a neat and ornamental appearance.

While I have shown and described a preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that various modifications thereof are contemplated within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. In a Venetian blind, a traverse roller, bearings associated with said roller and arranged to permit rotation and endwise movement thereof, said roller being rotatable on and movable over said bearings, an aligning member in engagement at opposite ends thereof with said bearings and extending through said roller, said roller comprising a lifting drum and an operating drum of greater diameter than that of the lifting drum, means for attaching said drums one to the other. a plurality of slats, lifting cords associated with said slats and said llfting drum, and an operating cord connected to said operating drum.

2. In a Venetian blind, a traverse roller,

bearin associated with said roller and arrange to permit rotation and endwise movement thereof, said roller comprising a lifting of slats, lifting cords.

ings, an operating drum, means for mounting sald operating drum on said lifting drum and s ace concentrically thereto, a plurality of s ats, lifting cords associated with said slats and said lifting drum, and an operating cord connected to said operating drum.

4. In a Venetian blind, a traverse roller comprising a lifting drum, a bearing for slidabl supporting said drum at one end, a cylin rical bearing threadably engaging said drum at the other end, each said bearing being formed to provide a flattened ortion adjacent its free end, end supports or said bearings, each su ort having a strai ht portion for detacha y engaging said attened bearing portion and an aligning member extending through said roller and engaged at opposite ends with said bearings.

5. In a Venetian blind, a traverse roller comprising a lifting drum, a bearing for slidably supporting said drum at one end, a cylindrical bearing threadably engaging said drum at the other end, each said bearing being formed to provide a pair of slots on opposite sides of the bearing, an end support for each bearing, each support havin a pair of parallel edge portions for slidab y and detachably engaging sa d slots and an aligning member extending through said roller and engaged at opposite ends with said bearings.

6. In a Venetian blind, a traverse roller, bearings extending within said roller at opposite ends thereof for rotatably supportingl said roller, interengaging threads on sai r0 er and on one of said bearings, an aligning member engagin said bearings and extending through sai roller, and means for supporting said bearin s.

In aVenetian blin ,a lifting roller,bearings for rotatably supporting said roller at opposite ends thereof, an auxiliary bearing for supporting said roller intermediate the ends thereof, said auxiliary bearing comprising a vertically extending (portion and provi ed with an arcuate shape edge, and means extending laterally from said edge and formin an extended bearing surface for said to ler.

8. In a Venetian blind, a lifting roller, means for rotatably supporting said roller at opposite ends thereof, an auxiliary support for said roller intermediate the ends thereof, said support comprising a vertically extending plate and provided with an arcuate shaped edge portion, and an arcuate shaped a bearing in engagement with said edge in position to support said roller.

5 9. In a Venetian blind, a lifting roller, means for rotatably supporting said roller at opposite ends thereof, an auxiliary support for said roller intermediate the ends thereof, said support comprising a vertically extending plate and provided with an arcuate shaped edge portion, an arcuate bearing, said bearing being provided with a slot in its peripheral edge, said plate being positioned with the arcuate edge thereof within said slot whereby said roller is supported for rotation on said arcuate bearing.

10. In a Venetian blind, a lifting roller, a casing for supporting said roller, said casing having a wall, a brake comprising a strap in contact with said roller, yielding means for connecting one end of said strap to said wall, and adjustable means connected to the other end of said strap and extending through said wall and accessible externally of said casing.

11. In a Venetian blind, a plurality of slats, a lifting roller, lifting cords associated with said slats and said roller, means for operating said roller to raise and lower said slats, a brake comprising a stra in contact with said roller, yielding means or supporting one end of said strap, and adjustable means for applying tension to the opposite end of said strap whereby said brake is effective on said roller only during the lowering of said slats.

12. In a Venetian blind, a traverse roller,

bearings extending within said roller at opposite ends thereof, interengaging threads on said roller and on one of said bearings, an aligning member associated with said bearings and extending through said roller,

said threaded bearing and member being supported against rotation, and means to rotate said roller to cause axial movement thereof" along said threaded bearing and member.

5 13. In a Venetian blind, a traverse roller, a rigid aligning member extending axially through said roller, end supports, means for detachably and non-rotatably mounting said member on said supports, one end of said member being threadably engaged with said roller, the other end of said member being slidably engaged with said roller, an operating cord connected to said roller and wound therearound and being operable to rotate said roller to move the roller axially along said member.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LAWRENCE THOMAS WARD. 

